


The Run

by airamcg



Series: An Alternate History of the Gem Rebellion [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Badass, Badass Battle Couple, Battle Couple, Canon-Typical Violence, Gem War, Gen, Pre-Series, Ruby and Sapphire is a Badass Battle Couple, okay i'm done
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 16:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4673924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airamcg/pseuds/airamcg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was supposed to be an easy mission. </p><p>Sapphire didn't See the ambush coming. </p><p> </p><p>(...or how I just wanted to write Ruby and Sapphire as a badass battle couple.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Run

 

 

 

It was supposed to be an easy sabotage mission. Intelligence said the Crystalline Kindergarten in Facet 4 shouldn't be heavily guarded, since it bore little merit for Homeworld in light of the rebellion. The mission to cut off its power supply and disrupt gem production even warranted a mere priority 5 on Rose Quartz's roster—nonessential, non-urgent, single squad undertaking. They only took it up at all because the recent lull in the war was making them too antsy to stay in one place.

 

Sapphire didn't See the ambush coming, their little squad of four surrounded by hundreds of newly activated Citrines hidden in the night. For the first few hours, they were able to hold their own with what they knew about team battle tactics. Ruby utilized one-hit-kill strikes to break through enemy lines, with Sapphire just behind her, cleaning up the scattered gems. Carnelian's energy beams provided cover fire and long-range support, while Aventurine protected her partner from close-range attacks. But before they were able to secure a path for escape, a strangled scream rang out in the darkness, followed by another one equally distressed.

 

"Aven! Carnie!" Ruby hollered to her comrades' general direction, but there was no reply. She was about to go back for them when a broken battle staff swung in front of her, stopping her mid-step.

 

"We can't, Ruby. Not now."

 

Despite her composed tone, Sapphire's lips trembled as she nodded towards the yellow eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness. The numbers may have diminished significantly, but dozens were still closing in from all sides. Sapphire tossed the staff away and withdrew two bolo swords from her gem storage. She fell into a defensive stance, blades positioned to protect her head and torso. Behind her, Ruby dismissed her battered gloves to summon a fresh pair. They stood back to back, carefully watching and waiting for their enemies' next move.

 

The Citrines possessed tall, lithe frames closer to Pearls than their Jasper sisters in the Crystalline gem line. As it was, they towered over the much smaller Ruby and Sapphire, yellow gems glowing as they summoned swords as long as the two rebels' heights. A few eager ones jumped into the air, preparing a simultaneous attack from all sides. One even grinned manically as she thrust her blade at Ruby's chest, aiming for the gem. Ruby easily parried and countered with a punch to the stomach, scoring an instant poof. Two more gems swung their blades at her, but she ducked under their attacks and dished out a couple more of her powerful punches. Amidst the exchange of blows, she paused and worried a glance at how her partner was holding up.

 

Sapphire expertly weaved through the area, skirt twirling around her as she blocked and attacked five gems at the same time. A explosions of smoke and light later, the Citrines decided to overwhelm her through sheer numbers with twenty strong approaching for another wave. She effortlessly poofed the first twelve or so, but soon a blade slashed through her defenses, clipping some of her hair and veering dangerously close to scratching the gem in her right eye. She shoved the blade away with the flat of her now-cracked bolo, then followed-through with a wide thrust-slash combo to give herself some breathing room. More Citrines kept coming at her.

 

"Saph! Saph, we can't keep this up forever!" Ruby's yell came from far across the battlefield, where she was struggling against six abnormally buff Citrines wielding claymores. They must have intended to separate them from the start. At the moment, Ruby was standing her ground; but Sapphire knew it was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed her.

 

Sapphire discarded her cracked bolos for a double-headed battle-axe from her gem, its edges laced with elemental magic. She hacked through the gems pressing in on her, freezing them in place then shattering their gems into oblivion. She didn't like using her powers this way— it was too brutal and too taxing— but she needed to get to Ruby as fast as she could.

 

"Sapphire!" Ruby gasped out. She was curled in a corner, her gloves barely managing to protect her gem from the slashing blades. She wouldn't be able to maintain her physical form for much longer.

 

Sapphire's axe flew across the battlefield and lodged itself into an opposing gem's back. Cold energy surged from the place of impact, freezing everything in the area. After a few beats, Ruby cautiously peeked through her arms, only to see her all opponents encased in glowing blue ice before they disintegrated into puffs of smoke all around her.

 

"Ruby!"

 

Sapphire stumbled through the smoke, concern written all over her face. As soon as she reached Ruby, she scooped her up into a hug. Then she tried to pull her to her feet, but Ruby's form had already grown too weak to stand. They overbalanced and fell into a tangled heap on the ground.

 

"S-Sapphire," groaned Ruby. "Sapphire, I can't anymore... I need to..."

 

"No, don't leave me alone!" cried Sapphire, voice trembling. "Please, Ruby... Please stay with me, at least until I get us out of this mess."

 

Ruby didn't need to see her eye to know it was brimming with unshed tears. With a pained nod, she replied, "Until we get out."

 

Sapphire carefully hefted Ruby onto her back, determined to carry the rest of the way. Normally, Ruby would kick up a fuss if anyone even _thought_ of handling her like that. But if these were normal circumstances, she would've long retreated to her gem already. As it was, no matter how much her body screamed in pain whenever she tried to move, Ruby silently endured. Sapphire needed her, and that was all that mattered.

 

They glided silently through the Kindergarten, keeping near the rocky walls and away from glowing yellow eyes. More than once, they had dropped to the ground, taking cover in the shadows before some patrolling gem spotted them. Neither had enough fight left in them. Ruby knew that despite seemingly unscathed, Sapphire was at her limit as well. She had expended way too much energy in the elemental attacks earlier, and yet she kept pushing herself to move faster to get them out of there as soon as possible.

 

They stopped at a corner just before the crack in the rock wall where their squad first came in. Two Jaspers were on the lookout, wielding giant war hammers.

 

"What's the plan?" Ruby asked under her breath.

 

Sapphire didn't reply. Instead, she sat Ruby down in a shadowed cavity in the wall. And then she just froze there, staying kneeled in front of Ruby as if shielding her from sight. A single stream of tears trailed down her left cheek. "I'm sorry," she choked out, "I'm so _so_ sorry. None of this would've happened if I just Saw..."

 

"Enough of that," Ruby cut in, small fingers sweeping away Sapphire's bangs to wipe at her tears. "It's not your fault, Sapphire. Future Sight isn't infallible. They just knew we were coming, somehow."

 

But at those words, Sapphire completely broke down sobbing against Ruby's chest. "I can't See any future where both or either of us gets out of this alive."

 

Ruby's arms may have weakened considerably from the beating she endured earlier, but no tiredness or agonizing pain would ever stop her from wrapping her arms around Sapphire's fragile self and pulling her close. Nothing hurt more than seeing Sapphire lose hope.

 

"Shhh, we'll figure something out, Sapphy," she said, stroking Sapphire's back, hoping her words weren't empty. "We always do."

 

So there they were— two small exhausted rebels cornered in enemy territory, exchanging last reassurances before they were found out and executed. They huddled together in that tiny cave, making themselves as small as possible to minimize the chances of being spotted. Dawn was nearing after all, the sky turning brighter and reducing their shadow cover by the minute.

 

Or rather, there they were— two elite Crystal Gem warriors, battle-spent and battered, but not broken. Not yet. For as long as they were alive, they would always find a way.

 

A few rays of sunlight were shining over the rocky peaks when Sapphire jumped to her feet, jostling her partner with the sudden movement. Then just as suddenly, she kneeled back down to Ruby's level, looked searchingly into her partner's eyes for a few beats, and asked, "Ruby, do you trust me?"

 

Confused, but not missing a beat, Ruby took one of Sapphire's hands and placed it over her own gem. "With my life."

 

"Then will you do me the honor of Fusing with me?"

 

Ruby's mouth fell open at the suggestion. After all, she had read all the abstracts and research papers Rose had brought from Homeworld. She knew all the myths and lore by heart. Fusion had long fallen into obscurity; no living gem knew how to do it anymore. The two of them had tried so many times—studying all the records, interpreting songs of Gem Lore, performing any instruction gleaned from their analyses—they came close at times, but they never successfully pulled it off. It always felt like something was missing. And yet if there was a way out of the mess they were in...

 

If there was one way...

 

Smiling, Ruby reached out to Sapphire, to caress her gem. "There's no one else I'd rather do this with."

 

Underneath thin blue fingers, Ruby's gem started to emanate a soft, warm glow. A long rumbling hum echoed in their tiny cave, no doubt signaling the Jaspers to their presence. But that didn't matter at that moment.  

 

"I feel the same," Sapphire replied, her own gem radiating a cool, delicate shine. Lilting chimes rang out, merging with the low rumbles and turning into something else—something better and far more melodious. She was smiling too, her seeing eye bright with happiness and love. "I trust you with my all."

 

Light exploded from where they were hiding, searing the eyes of the two Jaspers who came around to investigate.

 

When the light faded, an unidentified gem stood tall, nearly reaching a Jasper's height. She had large poofy hair, three eyes of different colors, and unbreakable gauntlets ready at her sides.

 

"Who are you?" one of the Jaspers asked.

 

The gem grinned and fell into an offensive stance.

 

"My name is Garnet."

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

_First, you need a gem at the core of your being._

_Then you need a body that could turn into light._

_Then you need a partner who you trust with that light._

\--Garnet on Fusion (We Need To Talk)

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Probably not entirely canon to my other story, Seeds of Rebellion. Emphasis on _probably_. To be honest, I just wanted an excuse to write Ruby and Sapphire being a badass battle couple, in case I haven't said it enough. I ended up beating them up pretty badly, though (blame my stupid muse). 
> 
> My headcanon is that Ruby and Sapphire didn't originally have their gems in their palms. I think Gems could change their gem placement during regeneration, so when Ruby and Sapphire decided to perma-Fuse into Garnet, they moved their gems to more convenient positions. This also kinda explains why Sapphire has only one eye—her gem's original placement was where her other eye should be, since Seeing is her thing. As for Ruby having her gem on the chest... It's because she has a lot of heart. 
> 
> Currently un-beta'ed, so any and all mistakes are my fault alone. If anyone's interested in beta-reading for my Steven Universe stories, please leave me a comment or two. 
> 
> Comments and constructive criticisms are always welcome. Thanks very much for reading!


End file.
